The Coffee Shop
by the-doctor-and-amy-pond
Summary: A Ten/Rose AU. Rose is a barista at a local coffee shop, and a handsome man comes in to get a coffee everyday.


**A/N: This is just supposed to be cute and fluffy. One more chapter to come, maybe more. Not sure yet!**

**Also, I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters. This is for enjoyment purposes only.**

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Today seemed just like any other day, which, to Rose, was something to be wary of. She woke up at 7:30 a.m., got ready, kissed her mum goodbye, and set off to work.

But not to her old job (her safe, comfortable job in the department store) that fell through last year when the building exploded. Officials still have not figured out the cause of the eruption. So, Rose took the first job she could find, which was a barista at a cute, little coffee shop down the street. The commute wasn't bad, but it still paid minimum wage and brought more stress than folding clothes did. It was only Rose and her friend Tess manning the shop, and it got quite a few customers coming to get something warm ever since the snow came.

Rose made sure to put on a warm peacoat, gloves, hat, and boots over her uniform, as she had to trek through several inched of snow to get to the coffee shop. Stepping out of her doorway, she immediately regretted getting out of bed, and begrudgingly set off to work.

Snow was already starting to fall out of the gray sky, tiny, delicate snowflakes falling to the ground, adding more inches to the heavy, white blanket of snow. Rose wished she had more time to admire the rare beauty of the pure weather before it turned to miserable slush.

In regular weather, it took Rose a ten minute walk to reach the coffee shop, but today it took closer to double that. She finally reached the warm refuge, and smells of fresh coffee, chocolate, and cinnamon greeted her.

"Rose! A bit of help wouldn't be minded!" Tess shouted above heads of several costumers.

"It wasn't my fault I was late, blame the weather," she responded, pulling off her now too hot outerwear and hanging it on the coat rack. She listened to Tess' incessant complaining while putting on her apron, going behind the counter, and making a chai latte for an impatient business man with a suitcase.

The next hour was rather busy; it was this time of the morning when people stopped in for fuel before work. By the time it reached nine o'clock, there only sat a man at a corner table, writing poetry (which he did every day).

Rose and Tess were swapping bits of mindless gossip when the bells on the door rang. Rose looked up to see a handsome man walk into the shop. The two girls shared a look of interest; he was not one of their regulars who usually popped in at this time of day. The man appeared rather geeky, but attractive, with glasses and his brown, pin-striped suit and coat. The fact that he had _great_ hair helped, too.

"Hi, can I get you anything?"

"Hmm, yes. I'll have a coffee with cream and two sugars. Thanks," the man said, not looking at Rose, seeming too preoccupied with his thoughts.

"Coming right up," Rose said, and made his coffee.

He was fumbling with his wallet when she came back.

"That'll be two quid," putting the coffee on the counter.

"Thank you very much!" he responded, and politely looked up. He did a double take when he saw her face.

"Do I…know you from somewhere?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing together, and his hand combing through his hair.

"No, I don't think so," Rose replied, even though she felt like she knew him too.

"Well, maybe we should change that," he smirked.

Rose laughed in response.

"My name is Rose. Rose Tyler."

"Nice to meet you Rose Tyler," her name seemed to flow from his lips with ease. "I'm The Doctor."

"The Doctor? Doctor _what_?" Rose inquired.

"Just 'The Doctor'," he said, and he smiled at her before he walked out of the shop, leaving Rose slightly confused, but intrigued.

"Damn, he was cute," Tess exclaimed.

"Oh, shut up," Rose giggled.

The rest of her day was uneventful, though she had a buzz of excitement running through her all day. The next morning, however, Rose got out of bed willingly, and was at work even before Tess.

"Look at you," Tess crooned, "all excited to see your boyfriend!"

"You're _horrible_," Rose blushed, "He wasn't even a regular. He probably won't be back."

Work was not as busy as it had been, so they had a bit of downtime by 9:00. Every time the bells on the door clanged, Rose's heart jumped a bit. Soon, the sound became a shrill mockery of her hope. Finally, though, she saw The Doctor swagger in.

"Hello, Rose Tyler!" The Doctor said.

"Hey, Doctor. What can I get you?" she asked, hiding her excitement.

Once he got his coffee, he sat at on of the small round tables with two cushioned chairs. The Doctor looked up.

"Rose, care to join me?"

"Yeah, sure! Tess, I'm talking my break now!" Tess rolled her eyes. Not that it really mattered, the coffee shop was empty anyway, except for the regular.

"So, Doctor," she started as she fell into her chair, "what's your story?"

"It's quite boring, actually. I travel a lot for my job, but right now I'm just kind of…here."

"You travel? Where have you been?"

A childish, goofy grin spread across his face.

"All sorts of places. You wouldn't believe what I've seen!"

"Blimey, I'd like to travel. Almost more than anything else. But Im stuck at this job…" she trailed off, with a glazed, dreamy look on her face.

"Don't say that! You will, someday!"

The two talked for a while, losing track of time. Rose noticed the Doctor was extremely intelligent. He knew many things, and could talk for a while. He had impressive stories to tell, and was quirky. Rose made him laugh, and he was taken by her. The way she smiled, her refreshing optimism, and her cleverness made the Doctor entranced. They went through two coffees each before Tess shouted, "Rose! Sorry, but I need some help!"

Rose snapped out of her intense conversation, looked up, and saw that there were six people in line waiting to be served.

"Sorry, Doctor, looks like I've got to get back to work," she concluded dejectedly. She did not want to stop talking with him, she enjoyed his company immensely.

"It's fine! I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah?" She grinned widely.

"Yeah," he smiled back.

The Doctor came in every day that week at precisely 9:30. Rose looked forward to this every day. They talked about the most wonderful things, such as art, movies, television, politics, world cultures…The Doctor made Rose feel important and special, and she made him feel _happy. _The first time he's felt happy in a while.

On the eighth day, the Doctor rushed into the shop, went to Rose, and exasperatedly said, "Rose…I don't really like coffee. Coffee's rubbish."

Rose laughed loudly.

"Would you like to go on a proper date with me?" he blurted out.

"Yes, I would love to."

The two stood their for some time, beaming at each other.


End file.
